I set out on my regular walk. During my daily evening walk, I covered a distance of about 5 kilometres. This was not an exercise for me, but actually my way of seeing the outside world. I was young, barely 15 years old, going on 16. Life seemed interesting and exciting. So many things to see. Familiar and unfamiliar faces to encounter. Some of the people I met were known to me. Some were familiar faces as they were people whom I did not know personally but encountered daily or frequently during my 5-kilometre long walk. Among these faces, there was a young Russian gentleman, whom I fancied. He was quite tall. About 6 feet in height. Ruddy complexion. I assumed he was an aeronautical engineer. I encountered him in the vegetable market. The Russians had come to HAL near Nasik to work on the MIG 21 fighter plane which was purchased from Russia. I used to encounter many Russian couples in the vegetable market. This gentleman however always seemed alone. He looked around 22-24 years old. He did not notice me but I would blush every time I saw him. My fancy for this gentleman remained a dream as he never noticed me.
Very soon my father got transferred to another station and this was the end of my crush.
